14 Suffolk Parade

In 1857 where this property stands today was still part of the large garden belonging to Suffolk Lodge (now The Retreat).

On 14th March 1870 Mr Balcomb, the owner of Suffolk Lodge, sold his large garden, which was in due course acquired by Henry Hill, the grocer from 15 Suffolk Parade. He developed the three properties now numbered 12, 13 and 14 in about 1872 and henceforth described himself as a builder.

By 1875 these premises were leased to Mr J. Yeandle who ran his tailoring business here. Mr Yeandle was previously at number 13 next door from 1870-73.

1889

In 1880 this company became Yeandle & Son Tailors, run by William Yeandle, who described himself as a master tailor. In 1881 William lived here with his wife Elizabeth. The shop must have been very successful as in that year they employed 10 men.

In 1898, with Yeandle & Son still in occupation, 12, 13 & 14 Suffolk Parade were bought by Mr George Straw, the grocer at number 13, for £1800. The tailors continued to trade at these premises until 1921, when Mr Straw sold number 14 to the wife of William Henry Jester and Arthur
William Walker for £860 and the shop became Jester & Walker, butchers. In 1924 Mr Walker left Cheltenham and sold his share of the property to Mr Jester for exactly half of what they had paid for it. William Jester died in 1937 and a year later his widow Harriet sold the property to Mr Joseph Bamford for only £650. Miss Gertrude May Bamford started her ladies costumiers business here at that time. She initially shared the property with Betta-Way Cleaners & Dyers, (Ronald A. Vizard) - 24 hour service dyers & cleaners. His being an unusual surname, we can speculate that Ronald Vizard may have been related to Charles Vizard, the boot repairer at number 2 Suffolk Parade from about 1945.

In 1946 Gertrude acquired the property from Joseph Bamford and subsequently sold it to her nephew Roger Bamford, the present owner, in 1967.

Roger Bamford recalls that the first tenant of the shop under his ownership was Hugh Boddington, who sold used furniture. By 1975 this had changed to "The Clock Shop", run by George Curtis, who sold antique clocks here until at least 1984. Mr Curtis was followed by Ro - Champs, lamp shades & ornaments and then Stephens Tivoli Linen Store.

Finally the name we recognise today arrived, when Stuart Beard established the cafe called MOKA at these premises. Today it is run by Mr & Mrs Simon Davies.